The long-awaited trial into the alleged medical negligence surrounding the death of Argentine football icon Diego Maradona was thrown into chaos on Thursday, after a court annulled the proceedings due to a scandal involving one of the presiding judges and an unauthorised television series.
After two months of emotional testimony from more than 40 witnesses – including Maradona’s children – the trial has been scrapped and must now begin afresh with an entirely new panel of judges.
Judge Julieta Makintach, who had been part of the original bench, was forced to step down earlier this week after it emerged she had participated in the filming of a TV miniseries about the case. Her involvement raised serious questions about impartiality and judicial ethics.
Judge Maximiliano Savarino, Makintach’s colleague, formally annulled the proceedings on Thursday, declaring that her conduct had “caused prejudice” to the integrity of the trial. The dramatic turn of events has further delayed the high-profile case, already nearly five years in the making since Maradona’s death in November 2020.
“I am not calm. I am angry. I hate them!” Maradona’s daughter, Jana, said tearfully outside the court. His ex-partner, Verónica Ojeda, described the development as “outrageous” but vowed to continue supporting the trial. “If I have to do it a thousand times more, I will,” she said.
Maradona died at the age of 60 while recovering from brain surgery. An autopsy revealed he succumbed to heart failure and acute pulmonary oedema – a condition in which fluid builds up in the lungs – just two weeks after the operation.
Seven members of his medical team stand accused of providing negligent care during his home recovery, with prosecutors alleging the football legend was left to die in a “prolonged, agonising period” in substandard conditions. The team could face prison sentences ranging from eight to 25 years if convicted of “homicide with possible intent”.
The trial, which began on 11 March, came to a standstill after unauthorised footage emerged from a TV show titled Divine Justice, reportedly featuring Makintach walking through court buildings in high heels, interspersed with grim narrations of Maradona’s final days. The footage, played in court on Tuesday, was said to include illegally recorded scenes from within the court itself, as well as interviews with the judge.
Makintach has denied any wrongdoing, but she has since been suspended and is under investigation by a judicial disciplinary board for alleged breaches of impartiality, possible influence peddling, and bribery.
The prosecution, complainants, and most defence lawyers had jointly called for the trial to be annulled and reconstituted under a new panel. “There was no other option than nullifying the trial,” said Vadim Mischanchuk, lawyer for Maradona’s psychiatrist, one of the accused.
A new date for the trial has not yet been set, though prosecutors have expressed hope that proceedings could restart later this year. However, any appeals to Thursday’s ruling could cause further delays. The new panel of judges will be selected by an internal court lottery.
“Maradona still not at peace,” read a headline in the Argentine press this week – a sentiment now echoed by fans and family alike as the search for justice continues.